


you make me breathe

by bluetint



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Discussions of mpreg, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, JYPnation, Light Angst, M/M, Milo and Jaeb's Cats, Modeling, Monsta X ensemble - Freeform, Non-Linear Narrative, jjproject, mark pov, model mark & defsoul/jjproject jaebeom, other idols and sideships present
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:48:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27702313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetint/pseuds/bluetint
Summary: tuanzy 🐇🎮 [11:09 A.M.] don’t ever use the words ream and your boss in the same sentencedefsoul ❤️🐱 [11:14 A.M] 🤮🤮🤮defsoul ❤️🐱 [11:16 A.M.] i’m blocking youtuanzy 🐇🎮 [11:16 A.M.] you can block me but you cannot block the image i just put into your headdefsoul ❤️🐱 [11:17 A.M.] fuck youtuanzy 🐇🎮 [11:20 A.M.] wish you would 😚— alternatively, Mark and Jaebeom's life in a series of interconnected drabbles
Relationships: Im Jaebum | JB/Mark Tuan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 68
Collections: Markbeom fic fest 2020





	you make me breathe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wxnuwu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wxnuwu/gifts).



> When I first started writing this fic, I had it all planned out. But then due to real life shit (we all know how lovely that can be) the creative process got messed up and somewhere along the way, I took a detour, Bugs Bunny style, ending up with something entirely different. It ain’t much, but I promise you, it’s honest! ;)
> 
> To OP; the prompt kind of left me meandering about like a lost billy goat in the mountains, but I eventually found my way back. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> According to what moots have told me, the Russian blue JB owns is named Blue and Bairu is the Koreanization of its name. I couldn't confirm this information from any source, so I'm just putting it out here!

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” said Mark, one cold morning, perched on the kitchen island, rubbing his hands to warm them up.

Jaebeom poured the omelet batter. It hit the cast iron pan with a sizzle. The aroma of eggs frying in butter tantalized Mark's senses and made his stomach growl loudly. “Why not?”

“It’s five in the morning, you should be in bed. We should _both_ be in bed.”

Jaebeom prodded at the omelet. “As your lawfully wedded husband, I am obligated to take care of you.”

“Aw, that’s sweet… and weird.”

“What is?” 

“Waking up every morning to make me breakfast when I don’t even eat it.”

“Breakfast is the first meal of the day —”

“I know.”

“— and if mom finds out you’re not getting three meals a day it’ll be my head she’ll go after.”

“Come on, your mom just worries too much.”

“And she’s right to do so. So unless you want me to call her this minute, you better eat up —”

Mark sighed. “Yes, dad.”

“ — and spare your future husband baldness at such a young age.”

Mark’s face warmed. Husband. It’d been months but he still wasn’t used to the fact that they were married. They’d been dating steadily for half a decade before the proposal on their little weekend getaway. The ring on his finger always made his stomach do a funny little flip every time he saw it.

“Come on,” Jaebeom nudged him off the island. “Move.”

With a dramatic sigh, Mark hopped off the island and onto the seat. The fare was simple: cheese omelet, two pieces of toast with a little fried patty, some beans, a bowl of fruit, and a cup of coffee. Jaebeom preferred the traditional breakfast, side dishes with rice and eggs, but in early mornings, he had what Mark had.

But Mark was still feeling a little petulant about having to be woken earlier than when he was supposed to go in so Jaebeom could shove sustenance down his throat.

Non-perk of being married #1: forced to lead a humane lifestyle because of your health conscious spouse.

“Feed me.”

Jaebeom groaned around the bite in his mouth. _“Hyung.”_

“Come on!” Mark waved his sweater paws at him.

"Can you please not do that before I've had food?"

Mark thrust out his lower lip for added effect and Jaebeom shook his head in faux revulsion.

'You nauseate me with this— " He waved a hand in Mark's face. " — _cuteness_ so early in the morning!'

“I’m just getting warmed up.”

“Please don’t.”

Mark pouted. “Jaebeom-ah.”

Jaebeom grimaced. His bed head just made Mark want to tease him more. “Why do you insist on making me throw up before I’ve had my first meal of the day?”

“If you don’t feed me in the next two minutes I’ll _really_ do something to make you hurl.” Mark’s tone was playful but there was no doubt in his voice that he would follow through on his threat. His arsenal of aegyo was nothing to make light of.

Jaebeom, keenly aware that this was not an empty threat, heaved a dramatic sigh before reaching for the bowl of fruit. They both knew Jaebeom was putting on a show because making sure Mark functioned like a normal human being was one of his favorite pastimes, even if he didn’t admit it. “You’re a menace you know that?”

“A cute menace that you _tearfully_ proposed to, might I remind you.”

Jaebeom tried to maintain a stern face but a corner of his mouth rose in a smile at the memory.

The proposal had been an unexpected.

When you were in a relationship with the same person for a considerable length of time, you became attuned to their every action and move. Mark didn’t even need to ask Jaebeom to know something was on his mind. Jaebeom knew that Mark didn’t like grand overblown gestures but he did enjoy being pampered and wasn’t ashamed to admit it. There had been a nice dinner, followed by a rich decadent mousse cake from that high-end bakery that Mark loved but couldn’t eat more than two bites of in one sitting, and later, when they’d been settling down in bed, a Queer Eye episode playing on Mark’s phone, Jaebeom had pulled out the rings.

There had been no music, no flowers, no going down on one knee to profess his everlasting love. Just Jaebeom, a few tears and Mark’s favorite things.

It was perfect.

Had it been up to them, they would have foregone the entire wedding. To Mark, the proposal, the ring Jaebeom had put on his finger, was a sign that they were good as married in every way it mattered. Besides, they’d been mated long before that, which was more important. But he was quite sure their friends and families would collectively murder them if they deprived them of a grand wedding. Jaebeom's sister, Nayeon and their mothers being on top of that list.

A finger flicked him on the forehead, bringing him out of his reflection. Jaebeom was looking at him. The way he looked, hair tousled, the faded grey shirt stretched across his chest and the Bart Simpson boxers that Mark had got him for his 27th birthday, endeared him greatly to Mark.

“I love you, you know that?”

Jaebeom unceremoniously shoved a cut-up strawberry in his mouth for that. “Distracting me with spontaneous declarations of love is not getting you out of breakfast.”

Mark glared, chewing on the sour-sweet mushiness in his mouth. Bleh.

Non-perk of being married #2: Your significant other became immune to your tricks which was not fun when you were trying to pull one over them.

But later as Mark trounced out the door, stomach full to bursting and Jaebeom on his heels, seeing him off like a newlywed wife sees off a husband, he heard, “Me too.”

———

Jaebeom texted Mark in the middle of a briefing.

**defsoul ❤️🐱 [7:48 A.M.] wanna do something this weekend?**

They weren’t big on texting. Well, Jaebeom wasn’t. Mark managed to get going when he was in the mood otherwise he was as bad as Jaebeom. But when their careers picked up, making them spend more time physically apart than together, they had resorted to texting at all times.

 **tuanzy** 🐇🎮 **[7:49 A.M.] what you got in mind  
defsoul ❤️🐱 [7:49 A.M] no ideas  
tuanzy 🐇🎮 [7:56 A.M.] well……. nayeon sent us a bunch wedding magazines  
tuanzy 🐇🎮 [7:57 A.M] we could decide on the theme for the wedding and shit  
defsoul ❤️🐱 [7:58A.M.] ಠ_ಠ  
defsoul ❤️🐱 [7:59 A.M.] that is the least fun thing you could come up with  
tuanzy 🐇🎮 [8:01 A.M.] less fun than the cliff diving??  
defsoul ❤️🐱 [8:02 A.M] .  
defsoul ❤️🐱 [8:03 A.M.] not another word out of that mouth of yours**

Mark bit back a grin.

All their friends had been elated, if unfazed by this development. They were as good as married anyway but Nayeon insisted that a marriage ceremony was crucial, that they shouldn’t deprive those (read: _her_ of a chance to show off her skills) who had supported their relationship and not gone cuckoo-netizen on them.

****tuanzy 🐇🎮 [8:04 A.M.] (ฅ'ω'ฅ)  
from defsoul ❤️🐱 [8: 07 A.M.] bully** **

“Mark-sshi, when you’re done sexting your husband please direct your attention towards your schedule.”

The snickering from the other two occupants of the room made him pocket his phone with a sheepish smile. Felix, the intern, and Chaeyoung, his makeup artist, always found it comical how someone petite like A-yeon could easily throw her weight around.

“Sorry. My bad. What were you saying?”

A-yeon rolled her eyes, but there was a slight smirk playing on her lips. “The swim campaign, probably the biggest project on your agenda. Followed by a few minor projects that are lined up after that, nothing major, just regular stuff...”

A soft click-clack of the keys accompanied her voice as Felix’s fingers flew over the keyboard as he logged the minutes, interspersed with the occasional sound of Chaeyoung popping her bubblegum.

“Just regular stuff?” Mark said incredulously. “A swim campaign? I seriously question the judgment of those electing to hold that in this weather.”

Chaeyoung leaned forward in her seat. She was supposed to be sketching different makeup looks to go with the fits, but so far she’d only doodled vaginas in the corner. “Please tell me they’re putting Mark oppa in a tankini.”

Felix gave a hum of approval. “He would look absolutely dashing in one.”

Chaeyoung turned to him. “Wouldn’t he?”

A-yeon ignored them. “You have that spandex ad thing but that’s like somewhere in December, and this weekend you have that thing for that coffee maker ad — ”

“That’s _this_ weekend?”

“Why? You got any plans?”

Mark thought of the huge pile of magazines and sample binders that his sister in law had sent over. “Maybe. I dunno.”

“Well, put them on hold because,” She slid behind her desk and shoved the iPad across the table to him and Mark blinked at the screen a few times to make sure what he was seeing.

He looked at the jam-packed schedule on the screen, scrolling up and down to see if it really belonged to him. “That… can’t be right.”

A-yeon noisily poured herself some coffee. “Why not? You’re one of the most popular models on hand in the company right now.”

“I know but…”

“Who just so happened to get engaged — out of the blue — to the vocalist of JJ Project, who if I recall, just came back earlier this year with their extended play, Verse Two, which may I remind you, charted on number two on Billboard.”

Oh. “That.”

“That and you singlehandedly murdered the JJP tag on AO3 in one night.” Chaeyoung piped up. Her phone was out, acrylics clicking as her fingers flew over the screen.

Mark blinked at her. _Murdered the tag?_ What did that even mean?

Felix nodded, fingers still flying. “Tumblr’s a fucking warzone right now. You should have seen it when the proposal hit the news.” He paused to squint at the screen. “Do they still use Tumblr in 2020?” He paused and pushed away with a grimace. “Wow, they’re big mad.”

“Oh honey, this is nothing you should see Naver.”

A-yeon’s hand physically pulled Mark’s face back towards her, fingers on his chin.

“Mark, I know sometimes important things escape you but did you forget that your boyfriend-now-husband is one of the most sought after musicians in the industry whose every move is scrutinized and covered to high hell in the media, right?”

Mark couldn’t formulate a response fast enough because sometimes Jaebeom acted like such a normal person that he truly forgot what a reputable personality he was in the industry.

“Mark, celebrities are public property.”

“I’m not a celebrity.”

“Hate to break it to ya bud but you kind of are.”

Felix stood up to emphasize the point by doing the Will Smith hands at the various portraits of Mark decorating the office walls. A-yeon patted him on the shoulder before draining her cup in one go. That liquid had been piping hot and watching her down it like it was nothing made all three of their taste buds wince in sympathy. “And as much as I would love to ask you about your wedding theme, I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone.”

“The plans or the discussion of the plans?” asked Chaeyoung.

“Both.”

“Should I adjust it into the schedule?” asked Felix. Felix was sweet, but he was a cheeky little shit when he wanted to be.

On a level, Mark acknowledged that he had come far in his career. After working in the industry for about four years, he’d carved out a name for himself, and he had work almost every other week. Between him and Jaebeom, he was home more and he liked it that way.

Mark vaguely recalled discussing the merits of having a proper wedding as per their family’s wish. There had been whipped cream involved... Initially they’d been planning to keep it a secret but their agencies decided it would be better to go public before the press got wind of it and leaked it. Most of the response had been positive. They’d spent a week fielding calls left and right from people in their social circles, and Mark, aware of the netizen mindset, had pointedly not looked at the Naver searches.

But looking at the jam-packed schedule he realized that he’d maybe underestimated the impacts of their union.

“You do realize you’re not going to be seeing your fiance until New Year’s right? Nor is he, seeing you. So you better cancel whatever weekend plans you’ve got this instant and buckle up, cowboy.”

Non-perk of being married #3: Your spouse might be legally responsible for you but it was your agent who ran your professional and personal life.

**tuanzy 🐇🎮 [8:08 A.M] no :/**

**defsoul ❤️🐱 [8:09 A.M] why**

****tuanzy** 🐇🎮 [8:09 A.M] divine retribution for killing the jjp tag on tumblr **

**———**

Before Mark and Jaebeom had peaked in their careers, they would wake up to each other, wrapped around one another like two cats, to the combined light caramel and strawberry scent. It was easily Mark’s favorite time of the day because that’s when they would be in their own little world, free from obligations and duties.

Now, more often than he’d like, Mark woke up to an empty bed. Jaebeom too. It was a side effect of their success, which Mark could never hold against Jaebeom, because music was his life. But on days they did wake up together, lazing under the sheets like two grumpy cats who didn’t want to leave the comfort of their warm cozy bed, there was a distinct absence of caramel in the air.

It would be an understatement to say that Mark was uninformed when it came to the world of modeling. It would be entirely accurate to use the term noob to describe his early years. He knew nothing about it. Mistakes had been made, some of which still managed to make Mark want to hide in his blanket and never resurface. One, in particular, always remained at the forefront.

Like most bad things, discrimination could always be counted upon to be there. It would always show up, especially where it wasn’t needed. It was 2020, times were progressive. Omegas were no longer subject to the arbitrary rules of the past, and were free to make the choices they wanted to. However, just because the law said so, didn’t mean people would listen.

It had been his first shoe advertisement. Some rich art students had wanted to market their shoes — custom designed by hand — and Mark, short on rent money, had agreed. Two things personally stood out to him from that incident: how uncomfortable those shoes were and how the alphas, betas and omegas alike had not stopped complaining about his scent. One of the betas, a short stocky man with acne, had pulled Mark aside, subtly dropping hints about how he should consider investing in scent neutralizers so as not to cause problems for those trying to make an honest living.

Mark’s face had burned with shame. His palms shook — with what he would later come to realize as suppressed anger. How dare a stranger comment on something so intimate and natural like it was something obtrusive and unsanitary? Scents were a natural phenomenon and there were no laws that stated that all genders, specifically omegas, were to mask their scents.

It was, however, widely practiced and encouraged — implicitly and explicitly — in the work industry to avoid such “inevitable, distasteful incidents.”

Unfortunately, Mark could not avoid ascribing to this evil because he had needed the money at the time. He had started out small, with masking lotions, before graduating on to the pills, which wiped out his scent entirely for a set amount of hours. And of course, they came with their own side effects, one of which was **irregular or no heats.**

His doctor did not endorse long-term usage of them, for they did more harm than good and interfered with the natural process. She did, however, try to regulate his doses or suggest the ones with less harmful or permanent lasting side-effects, cautioning him to wean off of them before it was too late for children, as not having a heat entirely was not ideal.

He’d discussed it with Jaebeom when they’d realized they both weren’t going anywhere for life. They weren’t averse to the idea of children but they agreed it would be better to focus on their careers and secure their futures before deciding on the next step.

“Besides we already have our hands full with these little cretins,” Jaebeom had jested, gesturing to the multiple cats and one dog sprawled over their living room. “One type of cretin at a time please.”

Although Jaebeom, bless him, had never said it out loud, Mark knew it bothered him. The absence of his scent, the drowsiness brought forth by the pills, the detainment of his biological process. The way Jaebeom’s own scent stopped smelling too sour when Mark was off the neutralizers or in heat, the strawberries on the vine aroma increasing was a stark indicator of how the alpha was at ease when he could smell him.

He hadn’t known who to call or ask until, under the influence of four glasses of Pinot Noir, he confessed to Yugyeom. Under the same agency as Mark, he was also an omega who understood Mark’s problem and had proposed a solution.

Truth be told, Mark had felt a little wary and silly as he’d been wrapping the soaked garments in aluminium foil and handing them over to the company carrier. Had it not been for Yugyeom showing him the blue cruet that contained a pretty accurate recreation of his mint-chocolate scent, Mark would have dropped the idea entirely.

Also, _over seven hundred USD for a 16 ml bottle?_

Even for Mark, who tended to overlook the price tag if he really wanted something, this was a lot.

But when Jaebeom had opened the box and Mark had seen the contents — a nickname plate with _tuanzy_ inscribed in fancy cursive, a Limoges porcelain pocket diffuser, a silk square signed by the initials, a slot with a photo of him (taken by Jaebeom on their first official date), perfume blotters artfully surrounding the piece de resistance: the perfume itself, he had breathed a little easier, feeling less guilty over throwing so much money away.

Jaebeom’s dumbstruck look was replaced by a myriad of expressions that flitted across his face too quickly for Mark to make sense of them. The generous spritz of homemade caramel hung in the air between them for a fraction of a second before Jaebeom quietly buried his face in Mark’s chest.

Jaebeom was a lot of things. Genuine. Hardworking. Stubborn. Driven, passionate, thoughtful. An exceptional dancer with a voice like honey. Somewhat anal about keeping the house clean. But one could never accuse Jaebeom of being an easy crier. Oh no, that was Mark.

But that was the first time Jaebeom had cried around Mark. It wouldn’t be the last — but the feeling of holding Jaebeom, Mark’s lips pressed to the crown of his head as he sobbed into the silk shirt he’d donned for their evening dinner at a nice restaurant, over the acknowledgment of his pain over not smelling like his mate and vice versa was something that had Mark feeling bittersweet.

That feeling was assuaged by Jaebeom’s usage of it. The alpha would forget his keys, his wallet, sometimes even his phone. But he would never leave the house without that bottle.

Something brushed against his hand and Mark was brought back to the present. It was Nora who had knocked him out of his nostalgic recollection. He was on the floor and the mellow feline was pawing at the box in Mark’s hand, claws scratching against the sleek surface of the olfactory boxed set that had just been delivered.

"Hey there, buddy. No, don’t do that to daddy’s gift.”

Nora meowed plaintively, inquisitive blue eyes looking up at him. She sat back on her haunches, tail swishing to and fro, as if waiting for an explanation.

Unlike everything else in his life that was managed, the cats were not. It was more like cats let themselves be managed if they were in the mood for it, otherwise they were independent creatures. People often asked how a dog person managed to cohabit with a cat person especially when they collectively owned six pets; five cats and one dog, but honestly it was not that hard.

Milo, the hyperactive Maltipoo, could certainly get on the nerves of the older cats Kunta and Odd when he was in one of those playful moods but he usually went to Bairu and Cake for that. Cake and Milo had actually grown up together. Everyone, including the couple, was convinced Nora was secretly a saint masquerading as a cat, for she was the oldest of the clowder but the most patient with the dog. Sometimes, Milo would be found curled up under Nora's arm, quietly submitting to the grooming the Siamese would be bestowing upon him.

Nora sniffed the box curiously, trying to puzzle out its contents. They loved all their babies, but Nora was undoubtedly their favorite on account of being ‘the first child.’ Mark stood up with a wince, legs having gone stiff from sitting down too long, balancing Nora and the box in his arms.

The order for this was mostly placed a week before their other anniversary — the day they went on their first official date. But the company had announced they would be closing down for the Christmas season so he’d put in the order ahead of time.

The only problem was hiding it until D-day. Jaebeom had a keen sense for picking up the little details that were often missed — which made him a wonderful partner, an exceptional composer, but an irritating person to plan surprises for.

Mark relayed this to Nora, taking her in confidence as he carefully tiptoed across the living room, not wanting to wake up Jaebeom, who’d knocked out the second he’d gotten home last night. The phone bleeped just as he slipped the box into his go-bag, signaling the arrival of A-yeon, who’d come to pick him up for the shoot.

“Work calls,” Mark told Nora. She was content to just be cradled in the crook of Mark’s arm like a baby, the tip of her dark brown tail wiggling. Mark scratched the top of her head lovingly, pausing when he noted how cold her ears were compared to the rest of her body.

The windows were sealed shut, the doors were locked carefully each night. Milo and the others had all been sequestered away into their beds. They'd had a cat door on the bedroom door in their previous apartment, which led to waking up with a cat or two in the bed with them, who would protest upon being squished by the occupants of said bed in their sleep. Milo, too, would greet them by slobbering all over their faces, hence the denial of passage.

Jaebeom was the stricter parent of the two of them, even with Milo. If it were Jaebeom, he'd tuck Nora back into bed until it was time for breakfast. But Mark thought of his warm bed, of the person sleeping in it and didn't want to leave Nora out in the cold hallway all by herself.

Ignoring the second buzz — his ride had arrived — Mark edged towards the bedroom. The floorboard there creaked. Nora let out a questioning sound as Mark placed her at the entrance after cracking the door open. _Dad, I thought that kids didn't sleep in daddy's bed anymore._

Mark shushed her with one finger, nudging her gently with his foot into the dark and quiet room. _Let's just call it an exception. Go on, it'll be our little secret._

Nora rubbed against his leg with a throaty purr before disappearing inside and Mark, warmed internally by the action, set out into the chilly world to start his day.

———

"This is insane."

Donning a swimsuit in the chilly morning breeze was not something a sane person would do. But this was the job. Crazy, unpredictable, fun, interesting, featuring multiple instances where one would have to stand in bare essentials against unfriendly weather.

Mark thought of the warm bed he’d been leaving every morning for the past week, of the sheets warm from their shared body heat, of Jaebeom’s little snores. The cold wind batted at him as if punishing him for having unseemly thoughts in its presence.

"Modeling and sanity don't often go hand in hand," Mark responded, eyes crossing at the sensation of the frigid wind lashing against his bare legs.

"You've been doing this for a while now, you should know."

Minhyuk, his limber figure hunched in a fluffy robe to ward off the chill, awarded him a sidelong look of disdain. "What instamodel's bio did you get that from?"

"No one."

"Uh-huh."

"Got that from A-yeon, actually."

Minhyuk blinked. Usually, he was not this grumpy, quite the opposite in fact. But dreary weather combined with a state of near nakedness can bring down even the sunniest of dispositions, even if momentarily.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"She doesn't seem like the type."

"The type to what?"

"Say things like Kihyun does."

Mark adjusted his robe, cinching it shut tighter around his midriff. He wished there was a terry cloth alternative for his bare legs too. "She does that sometimes. Maybe our managers are more alike than you think."

Minhyuk looked over to where A-yeon was engaged in a conversation with Kihyun, manager from Starship, another agency Mark's agency often worked with. Standing at 5'3 with a petite frame and delicate features dressed in a cashmere sweater and jeans, A-yeon looked just like the models who were here for the shoot. Often, people would confuse their roles, mistaking Mark as the manager due to his penchant for baggy shirts and sweatpants.

Kihyun laughed at something A-yeon said, throwing his head back as he did. A-yeon smacked him on the shoulder with her portfolio folder, giggling along. They often crossed paths due to the JYP models often working with those of Starship's.

Minhyuk shuddered, turning his gaze to the sea. "God I hope not. Kihyun's lame."

"Now that's harsh."

"You know what's harsh? Standing around in this weather looking pretty for no reason."

"Mmm."

"Wanna take a selfie?"

"Sure."

The crew had finished the set-up by the time Mark had arrived and had been ushered into a tent to get ready. He had absolutely not fancied the shiver that had wracked his body when the clothes came off. Felix had handed him a hot pack. Chaeyoung had winced in sympathy and quickly did him up before handing him a robe to huddle in before he was called for his turn.

The photographer, Mingyu, did some test shots with all the models, testing out which angles worked best, especially with the backup model that had just arrived to replace the previous one, Ten.

An alpha from the SM agency had unexpectedly gone into a rut a few hours prior. Schedules were sometimes planned around the cycles in order to avoid situations such as these but with a shoot that had so many models in one place, it was nigh impossible to manage that. A rut could go from five days to a week depending on the person. Johnny, the manager had apologized profusely, dripping with the sharp pomegranate scent of the incapacitated model that was riddled with the acrid chemical stink of the neutralizers. The bizarre combination had made Mark's head spin.

That was how Mark and Minhyuk found themselves on a bench taking one selfie after another whilst Lucas, the new arrival, posed with a trio of scantily clad alphas. “Being professionals you’ll be done quicker, but the little one will take time, yeah?” The creative director had told them.

The breeze had chilled them to the bone but it gave everyone the windswept look they were aiming for. Hyolyn was a true professional, giving the camera a vibrant smile as if she weren’t being frozen by the elements. Hwasa, delicately balanced with her hand placed on Jackson's shoulder, bestowed them with an equally killer smile. Lucas was bigger than all three of the models on that rock, but he somehow managed to look like a baby lion among three tigers.

"Man they must be dying out there," said Changkyun, coming up to them with two cups of tea which Mark gratefully took. The last thing his stomach needed was more caffeine, but he craved the warmth it would bring. He smiled in thanks, causing Changkyun to blush a little. His friends often told him he had that effect on people. "And don't post that selfie unless you get clearance for spoilers."

"Yeah yeah, don't nag. Where were you?" Minhyuk sniffed, ignoring the hot plastic cup in favor of curling up to Changkyun. The model was always using the assistant manager as a body pillow wherever they went. "I'm so cold."

"I know."

"Do something about it."

"Damn, I don't control the weather, Jackie."

"Why don't you? I thought you could do everything."

"I'm an assistant manager, not god bitch."

"They should promote you to godhood."

"Thanks, I would love more responsibility." The sarcasm was unmissable. Mark grinned into his cup. He liked the duo of assistant managers that accompanied Kihyun. They were often entertaining to be around. Changkyun took some time warming up to whereas Jooheon was often the livelier and easily approachable of the two. His aegyo skills were legendary.

"But you always have to be responsible for me."

"Please I don't need another Wonho hyung on my hands."

Minhyuk tsked, shaking his head. The wind had blown his hair into his eyes. "Is that any way to talk about your alpha?"

"He's _my_ alpha, I'll talk about him any way I want."

"Where is he, anyway?"

"Sulking."

"Why? He didn't like the speedo?"

Big projects that featured a lot of models in one place were rare. It wasn’t often that Mark managed to end up on the same project as many of his colleagues at the same time. They also took longer to finish and wrap up.

The swimsuit collection was extensive. It consisted of one piece swimsuits, tankinis, bikinis, fringe swimsuits, long sleeve swimsuits, swim shorts, speedos and swimsuit cover ups. The client was aiming for a non-gendered concept which was cool and while he had no issues with donning the tankini he sure had been glad to be spared the speedos.

"He wouldn't take it _off."_

Mark fought down a snort. Minhyuk didn't, letting loose an obnoxious one. Changkyun shoved at him, hard.

As they both bickered, Mark looked around. The beach was mostly empty for this time of the day, a significant portion of it having been cordoned off to minimize public interference. His gaze meandered, taking in the sights, committing them to memory to be revisited at a later date: crew members huddled around the little portable heater, Hyungwon smoking off to the side, cigarette loosely held in his mouth as he gazed into the distance, the production coordinator running around calling for more coffee and hot packs, at Chaeyoung and Felix who’d drifted a little ways away from the crowd, taking pictures of each other.

He stopped for a minute to admire the sight of Jooheon rubbing lotion to keep Wonho’s skin from drying out, appreciating the musculature the man worked so hard to create. Mark was married, not blind to aesthetics of such a fine male form.

A heartfelt giggle made him turn around. Sana and Momo, two colleagues he’d worked with on separate occasions, were snuggled together on the recliner offered to them. Sana had her phone out and as per usual, she’d said something to fluster her girlfriend in public. Momo removed her face from Sana’s neck to whine at her and Sana responded by kissing her forehead whilst simultaneously taking a selfie of them.

The sight made him miss Jaebeom. Like Sana, Mark was not shy about initiating PDA. It used to unnerve Jaebeom at first, but the younger alpha had gradually gotten used to it over time. Now he would hold Mark’s hand if they were sitting across the table when out with friends or put a hand on Mark’s thigh, fingers tapping against it to the beat of some tune playing in his head. More often than not, Jaebeom would playfully wrestle him into a chokehold if Mark gave him too much cheek.

Jaebeom was off preparing for the end of year shows. JJProject’s comeback had been well-received, the public showing an active interest in them following the release of Verse Two and the announcement of their engagement. Jinyoung’s role in He is Psychometric had generated further buzz. He wanted to call him, but there was a chance Jaebeom wouldn’t pick up.

His moody reflection was interrupted by A-yeon’s brief appearance, where she bought him a blanket for his legs and Uggs for his feet, informing him that it’d be a while before his turn. Of all the things Mark was thankful for in his life, A-yeon was in the top ten.

With his body sufficiently warmed up, his thoughts drifted away from the cold to other things. As he played with the wedding band, tracing the small garnet inset into it, a habit he’d recently developed, he thought of the conversation they’d had, a few weeks after Jaebeom had proposed.

_Mark had been sitting on the bed, watching Jaebeom wear a hole in their floor from all the pacing he was doing, airing out all his frustrations that had been brought forth from a phone call with his mother earlier that morning. They had been about to tuck into the pancakes Mark had made for breakfast when the phone had rung. And now Jaebeom was a ball of nervous, frustrated energy._

_“Okay, but do we really need to get married officially? We’ve dated for longer than most of the couples we know. We got mated a year ago and now I’ve even “put a ring on it,” because she wouldn’t stop going on about how I should make an honorable man out of you. What does she want to plan the wedding for?”_

_Mark had wanted to snort when Jaebeom had used the term ‘honorable man’ but he refrained, more focused on spreading the right amount of whipped cream and vanilla sauce over the pancakes. The new recipe Mina had recommended had made them extra fluffy and thick. Neatly cutting up a sizable bite, he held it out. “Jaebeom-ah.”_

_Jaebeom stopped pacing. He furrowed his brows at the bite being held out to him. “Yah hyung--”_

_“Don’t talk. You’re grumpy when you’re hungry and that doesn’t always make for productive conversation. Come on.”_

_Jaebeom glowered at being read so easily, but it was weak and eventually he relented. Both of them had hearty appetites, but unlike Jaebeom, Mark was less prone to irritability brought on by an empty stomach. After decimating most of the pancakes and washing them down with lukewarm milk, Mark turned to Jaebeom. “Okay now you can talk.”_

_Jaebeom, apparently still miffed from earlier, snorted. “Thank you, your highness. Would you like me to stay in this position or should I assume one that is more suitable according to you?”_

_Mark responded by aiming the whipping cream can at Jaebeom’s face and squirting a dollop of it on his nose. Jaebeom squawked, trying to wipe the cold cream off whilst trying not to get it over the sheets._

_“Okay maybe I deserved that,” stated Jaebeom, chagrined. They both used to have short tempers, which had resulted in many a fight over the years. It had taken monumental effort on both their parts and assistance from their friends to work on that. Mark hadn’t thrown or broken anything because of an argument in years._

_“Yes you did. Now, why are you being so averse to the idea of a wedding?”_

_“Hyung, last I recalled you didn’t want one either. Or have you changed your mind?”_

_“I wouldn’t exactly say that I’ve changed my mind, but at this point it’s more reasonable to let our families do what they want. You know what they’re like.” Both their mothers and Nayeon possessed varying degrees of tenacity. He didn’t even want to think how his sister-in-law would exact her revenge if they denied her the chance of planning their wedding. It was something she’d always wanted to do. “Plus, we’re both the eldest and you’re the only son. Denying our mothers this because we’re both too lazy to get it together would be a pretty dick move, objectively speaking.”_

_Jaebeom hmmed thoughtfully. Mark’s family would have been fine with whatever decision he wished to take, but Mark suspected his in-laws would feel differently. Sure, he didn’t look forward to the insanity that came with planning a wedding, having been a firsthand witness to his sisters’, but if it would keep both their families happy, he would be willing to make that sacrifice._

_“Look,” Mark dropped the can to hold Jaebeom’s hand, using his other to smooth the furrow on his brow. “We can negotiate. I know it’s only the two of us, but since we’re the couple, we should hold more sway —”_

_“It’s adorable how you think you hold any real power in this situation, have you met our —”_

_Mark flicked Jaebeom on the forehead for his insolence. The alpha hissed, scrunching his nose at the pain. “ — we should hold relatively more sway and even if we have to fight tooth and nail for it, try our best to keep it a moderate affair.”_

_“So no to the chocolate fountain?”_

_Mark stared at him. “Do you want Yugyeom to die of sugar overdose on such a blessed day?” It was no secret the omega loved chocolate. His favorite was iced choco, but he willingly consumed it in any form._

_“Okay, valid. I’m not cutting my hair no matter what.”_

_Mark ran his fingers through the wavy strands. “I’m with you on that.”_

_“Nor am I wearing matching —”_

_“Finish that sentence and I will push you off this bed.”_

_“But matching outfits are so cringey!”_

_“I dont give a fuck if they are but if you deny me this one happiness I will leave your ass at the altar. And I’ll take all the kids with the house in the divorce.”_

_Jaebeom gasped. “You wouldn’t dare!”_

_“Try me, bitch.”_

_They bickered back and forth like this for a good while before eventually settling down. As much as Mark wanted to lie there and do nothing but hold Jaebeom’s hand and play with his hair, there were chores to do. Laundry to be folded. Kunta had an ear cleaning appointment. Milo needed to be taken for his regular check-up… Just going through the long mental checklist was tiring._

_“Mark.”_

_“Hmmm?”_

_“Mark-yah.”_

_“What?”_

_No response came._

_Curious, Mark turned, only to get whipped cream squirted on his chin. The coldness of it made him shriek, as it was so sudden, and Jaebeom cackled like a cartoon villain. The other man had sneakily removed the breakfast dishes whilst Mark had been lost in thought and was now looming over him with the can held like a weapon._

_“You’re an ass,” Mark wiped it off, or tried to. There was a lot and some of it ended up on his chest. “I can’t believe —”_

_A hot wet sensation around his cream-covered fingers made him pause. Jaebeom had grabbed his wrist and was licking the fingers clean. His other arm held the can way out of Mark’s reach. Horny the alpha might be, but he was not a foolish man. Mark could just as easily get him back for this unless he did something to distract him which he did so by gently nudging the cream up towards Mark’s mouth, proceeding to lick it clean before moving further._

_“How much cream do you reckon is left in this?” Jaebeom asked, breathless after a detailed exploration of Mark’s mouth._

_Mark swallowed past the dryness in his throat, licked his lips and said, “Why don’t you find out?”_

They had taken a picture afterwards, both of them disheveled and bright-eyed. Some of the cream had ended up in Jaebeom’s hair. It had been Mark’s homescreen wallpaper for the better part of this year before switching to a picture of Milo sleeping in the middle of cats.

Smiling at the memory, Mark drowsily opened his phone to look for it. A message from Nayeon appeared in the notification bar.

**from nabongs 🐰 [1:23 PM] oppa, i know you’re busy but could you please finalize the color theme? 🔪**

They’d only managed to get through one binder via Facetime because they kept getting distracted. Jaebeom wouldn’t stop going on about the unusual list of party favors. They were both going for a simple affair, but the list had some really strange items.

 _”Custom portrait temporary tattoos?_ Who the fuck makes their guests walks around with a temporary tattoo of their _faces_?”

“I dunno, there are lots of funny meme threads about you on Twitter that we could use for that.”

“Shut —”

“Ooooh, these succulents look fun. See?”

“I feel like we’d be invoking the tale of Bob’s tragic demise with that and Youngjae would strangle one of us as a result. We’re aiming for a wedding, not a funeral.”

“Youngjae, a terror for all plant parents.”

“These miniboard games would be cute but I’ve a feeling that will result in somebody getting hurt.”

“Knowing Jackson, we’d be paying for more broken tables.”

“God I cannot believe he broke that table in that restaurant.”

“Babe, it’s Jackson. What’s not to believe.”

“You make a valid point.”

“I always make valid points. In fact, I invented them.”

“Don’t brag, it’s not attractive.”

“You know what is attractive, though? These wine glass charms that double as jewelry.”

And thinking about that conversation, Mark dozed off, a smile still playing on his lips.

**———**

True to word, Mark and Jaebeom didn’t see each other for the rest of November. They contended themselves by catching little glimpses of each other as they came and went, calling each other when feasible, the stream of texts between them constant. Mark could not believe how getting married to someone so famous could make your work life spiral out of control.

****tuanzy 🐇🎮 [12:45 A.M] i am never letting you marry me again** **

****defsoul ❤️🐱 [ 2: 16 A.M] :’(** **

Somewhere towards the end of the first week of December, they managed to catch a little break.

Only it wasn’t so much of a break. More like substituting one punishment for another.

Ideally, their first free Sunday together would have been spent in bed, but Nayeon had threatened to dismember them both in their sleep if they didn’t haul ass to her place for brunch. Jaebeom, the traitor, had managed to squirrel out of it because of a last minute scheduling conflict, leaving Mark to the wolves.

“The news says you’re having an affair,” announced Nayeon in the conspiratorial tone of a Dispatch reporter looking to start drama.

****tuanzy 🐇🎮 [11: 06 A.M.] the minute i get home i’m filing for a divorce** **

****defsoul ❤️🐱 [11: 07 A.M.] don’t do this to me while i’m getting reamed out by aSiAnSeOul** **

****defsoul ❤️🐱 [11: 07 A.M.] also care to shed some light on how nora ended up in our bed again?** **

Mark felt a little, only a little, pang of sympathy for his genius husband having to deal with his boss who held outdated notions of what ‘good music’ was supposed to be like. He pointedly ignored the reference Jaebeom made to Mark letting Nora sleep in their bed. Idly, he wondered if Jaebeom would be just as insistent when it came to their actual children too.

******tuanzy 🐇🎮 [11:09 A.M.] don’t ever use the words ream and your boss in the same sentence** ** **

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [11:14 A.M] 🤮🤮🤮** ** **

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [11:16 A.M.] i’m blocking you** ** **

******tuanzy 🐇🎮 [11:16 A.M.] you can block me but you cannot block the image i just put into your head** ** **

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [11:17 A.M.] fuck you** ** **

******tuanzy 🐇🎮 [11:20 A.M.] wish you would 😚** ** **

Mina’s subtle pinch to his thigh brought him back to present.

“What?”

Nayeon threw a piece of French toast at him. “Do you know who you’re cheating on my brother with?

Mark put his phone down. “Dunno. Hyolyn noona?”

“Dddaeng.”

Jackson took an equally obnoxious sip of that disgusting kale drink of his as well. “Damn, babe, you haven’t even been married that long —”

“ — and you’re already cheating on our darling Jaebeomie hyung,” sniffed Jinyoung. “My poor soulmate.”

“Oh shut up, you’re just peeved your favorite JJP writer announced their retirement.”

Jinyoung smacked Jackson with the spoon he’d been using to stir his coffee. Jackson hissed as the hot metal made contact with his bare bicep. Suzy, slumped on Jinyoung’s shoulder, protested. They both looked especially ruffled this morning. “They wrote really good fics, okay!”

Out of the two, Jinyoung was especially prone to violence unless he had a sufficient amount of caffeine in him. A-yeon, seated to their left, tactfully poured him more hot coffee. Jinyoung took a break from tormenting Jackson to smile at her. “Who’s Mark sleeping with?”

Nayeon took a noisy bite of her toast, some of the crumbs getting on her chin. Had Jaebeom been here, he would have nagged her for that. “Any guesses?”

A-yeon drizzled (re: drowned) her pancakes in maple syrup. “What does the winner get?”

“Mark buys them a fancy coffee maker.”

Jinyoung sucked on his spoon thoughtfully. Mark knew he was thinking of the Keurig coffee machine he’d gotten after shooting the ad.

“Do I have any say in this?” asked Mark, knowing it was futile. Mina pushed a glass of orange juice in his direction as a show of sympathy for his plight. His friends always bullied him before shoving food down his throat.

“Mark-yah, say aaahhh,” teased Youngjae, who was sitting next to him. Mark made a face at the huge bite of blueberry pancakes with cream he was trying to shove into his mouth. “You know the drill. It’s your turn.”

It was a thing they did, their friends. Gathered at whoever’s place was the closest and free, hung out and caught up on what was going on in each other’s lives.

After the games had been played and intrigues (that would put the ones in Game of Thrones to shame) had taken place, they would open up the Tattler, an Instagram account that considered itself the cooler version of Dispatch, writing sensationalized pieces with no solid evidence to support their claims. Today they’d skipped the games and gone straight for the jugular.

The creativity behind some of those rumors were ridiculous that sometimes Mark wondered whether it was real. He didn’t feature as regularly as the other people in the room, but post announcement he appeared with a semi-regular frequency.

Jackson went first. “Mino.”

Suzy, without opening her eyes, said. “That eaJ guy. Or Sykkuno.”

Jinyoung interjected. “Nah, it’s Yaya. You talk a lot since that Milan show.”

“Does commenting on each other’s posts count as friendship?”

“It does if you’re both hot.”

“She talks to Bambam too.”

“Yeah but Bam is Bam.”

Bambam, who’d gone to the bathroom, had returned to catch the tail-end of the conversation. “And what do you mean by that?”

A-yeon cut in with her pick, carefully fashioning her crepe into a scone. “I’d say Taehyung.”

A murmur went around the table at that. Mark sighed. “Guys, it was one time and we didn’t even do anything.”

Bambam snorted, reaching for the eggs as he slid himself in next to A-yeon. His long legs dwarfed A-yeon and Nayeon’s. “You really expect us to believe all you did was play Mario Kart?”

“There are other things to be done on a date other than each other.”

Mina nodded sagely. “Nayeon unnie and I played Jenga on our first date. I beat her thrice.”

“I still think you cheated,” muttered Nayeon, clicking her tongue. Mina stuck her tongue out at her. “And you’re all wrong.”

Suzy, eyes more open than before, reached for a slice of kiwi from the fruit platter. “Give us a hint.”

His sister-in-law hemmed and hawed, her leg bouncing as she considered. “He’s someone we know.”

“We know a lot of people,” Youngjae told her, finally managing to get Mark to eat that bite. “Jackson here knows half of the city… biblically.”

Jackson groaned. “Babe, not before breakfast.”

Suzy snorted. “Don’t forget Jinyoung here too.”

“You make a good point. Hmmm… Okay he’s taller than everyone at this table and has been inside of one of us at some point.”

“Oh my god,” groaned Bambam. “Ew, not when I’m having my first meal of the day, please.”

He was duly ignored. Jinyoung’s reputation in public was squeaky clean, but among his friends he was a bit of a, to word it not so delicately, hoe, after Jackson. It was a running joke among the group that Junho, Jinyoung’s manager, must have connections in the mafia or something that word never got out about Jinyoung’s various hookups. A-yeon’s eyes went wide, her mouth wrapped around the makeshift scone. “An actor?”

“Bingo.”

Suzy looked surprised. “That’s a first. Mark hasn’t even worked with any actors… I think?”

Mark nodded.

Jinyoung cut him halfway. “Who is it?” Mark wondered if he knew the turtleneck was doing nothing to hide the hickey on his neck and if Suzy was the culprit.

Nayeon turned her iPad around to show them a dashing photo of actor Kim Kwon.

Mark’s eyebrows went up. “Okay I think I'd remember having him inside me of all people.”

Jackson whistled. “Dick that size hard to forget.”

Nayeon hummed. “Kwon doesn’t seem like the cucking type.”

“Neither does Jaebeom.”

Mark wondered if Jaebeom would kick him out of the house or ban their friends from ever seeing him again if he relayed this entire discussion to him word to word.

Suzy whistled at the picture. “Woah Jinyoung tapped that? And gave it up? For what?”

“Jackson.” The entire table chorused. The jinson hashtag was second to the JJP one in popularity. It had died down when Jackson had gone public about his relationship last year.

Suzy whistled.

Bambam snorted. “What a waste.”

Youngjae, Jackson’s boyfriend, hummed in agreement. “I concur.”

Jackson nearly upended his glass of kale, he was so wounded. _”Mean!"_

Jinyoung stilled him with one hand. Suzy protested at being jostled.

Youngjae made a mocking kissy face at him. “You like it when I’m mean.”

Jinyoung seconded that statement. The two of them broke out into a discussion regarding Jackson’s bedroom antics. Mina and A-yeon listened in open-mouthed fascination. Suzy finished the entire fruit plate. Bambam pushed his breakfast away with an exaggerated sound of disgust but participated, eager to take shots at them.

******tuanzy 🐇🎮 [12: 15 P.M] how is it i only woke up 2 hrs ago and im alr tired** ** **

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [12:17 P.M] bc we’re old farts who have depraved denizens of hell for friends** ** **

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [12:17 P.M] except mina shes an angel** ** **

******tuanzy 🐇🎮 [12:18 P.M] says you, while married to one depraved demon yourself.** ** **

The three were still bickering, and it was only a matter of time before they turned to the dissection of Mark’s sexual history.

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [12:20 P.M] i plead temporary insanity** ** **

Jaebeom didn’t text after that. Mark knew that Jaebeom’s boss was one of the well-known senior artists in the industry but he could also be a bit of an asshole. Before, Jaebeom would come home in a foul mood and lock himself up until he calmed down. But in recent years, Mark had taken to texting Jaebeom to distract him from the ordeal. Jaebeom, confused and not understanding at first, had been so-so about it. But now, it was he who texted Mark first whenever he had to go face the one-man firing squad, reaching out for comfort.

******tuanzy 🐇🎮 [12:31 P.M] if the hag is being an asshole tell me so i can come beat his ass** ** **

******defsoul ❤️🐱 [12:35 PM] 💜** ** **

****——**** ****

There was something comforting about reality television, thought Mark, that a lot of people didn't appreciate.

The mindless consumption of it.

If one were to ask about how Mark came to be an avid consumer, people would think Nayeon. But in reality, it was Jinyoung. He was a petty, drama-loving queen when he wanted to be. In between waiting for calls and the like, Mark had whiled away the hours watching bits and pieces here and there.

One didn't need a lot of brainpower to understand the nuances of the relationships between the Kardashian sisters. Before, after a long day at work, Mark was often alone in the evenings until Jaebeom came home. Those hours were whiled away by watching KUWTK or aimlessly scrolling through social media, Milo or one of the cats in his lap.

Jaebeom, despite not understanding why anyone would willingly consume a show like this, often found himself besides Mark, and took an active interest in the proceedings. Sometimes they both had a woah moment when they clocked the origin of a meme. But for the most part, Jaebeom just contented himself with holding Mark, letting the stress and exhaustion of the day melt out of their bones.

Today it seemed like only one of them was worn out.

Comfortable clothing was crucial to the media consumption experience. There was nothing more comfortable than being curled up in front of the TV in your oldest and softest pair of shorts and shirt. The legs of the shorts were wide and stretchy, enough for a hand or two to slip in. Jaebeom's right hand was between his legs, fingers plucking at the meat of the inner thigh, lightly pinching the soft flesh.

Mark stretched out against Jaebeom's chest, snuggling into the firm solid warmth. On-screen, Kim was crying about losing her $75,000 earring. This scene was a favourite not because of the dramatics but Jaebeom's horrified fascination with which he had watched it the first time. "Is your hand warm enough yet?"

Jaebeom hmmed. His now warm hand flexed against the thigh. "Not yet."

Mark laid his head on Jaebeom's shoulder. Kim's tears used to be funny in that way things that shouldn't be funny are. He was pretty sure he'd react similarly if he lost the ring Jaebeom had put on his finger. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

Mark looked to where his hand was. The band on Jaebeom's finger, similar to Mark’s except the stone which was sapphire, was barely peeking out from under the hem of Mark’s shorts.

"This."

Jaebeom squeezed. "You have nice thighs."

Mark furrowed his brows playfully. "Just thighs?"

Jaebeom’s hand glided up, higher, right into the crease of Mark’s inner thigh, while his other hand slid under Mark’s shirt. The cold metal of the rings on Jaebeom’s fingers made the muscles in Mark’s stomach jump, making the omega let out a drawn out, “Mmmmmm,” at the sensation.

Sex hadn't been in the cards tonight. It hit Mark that they hadn’t had it for quite a while now. Most days they were too tired to do anything but snuggle together. But this... "You have a nice everything. Although someone's been missing out on leg day."

Mark groaned, pushing his head under Jaebeom's chin. He smelt of strawberries and smoke. "Ew, don't talk about unsexy things."

Jaebeom chuckled. His hands didn't stop but they didn't stray further from where they were either. The heat digging into Mark's side, however, implied that Jaebeom wouldn’t mind taking things further. "I'm not complaining though."

"You shouldn't. I did a full hour of cardio today."

"As you should have.It was a valiant effort and you need to be rewarded for it."

"Oh?" Mark's gaze fell to Jaebeom's mouth.

They made out quietly for a bit, hands sliding up and down, over and under, squeezing softly. Mark gasped when Jaebeom's fingers tickled the backs of his knees — he was sensitive there — and he ground down on the now full-blown erection in Jaebeom's shorts, eliciting a groan from the alpha. They both separated to grab their breaths and Jaebeom reached for the bottle of water to take a sip before offering it to Mark.

"I'm tired," Mark mumbled into the hollow of Jaebeom's throat. Perspiration dotted his brow but he felt somewhat refreshed after that drink.

"I know."

Mark's fingers toyed with Jaebeom's earring. "But not tired enough."

"Oh?" Jaebeom waggled his eyebrows. The comical expression at odds with his tousled hair and swollen lips made Mark giggle.

He was still giggling when Jaebeom pressed him against the couch. Still giggling when Jaebeom peppered his face with kisses. They both took a moment to laugh when they heard Kourtney's classic, _"People are dying, Kim!"_

The sensation of Jaebeom giggling around Marks nipple was a novel one.

Mark was still giggling, afterwards, when Jaebeom, somehow, hauled their boneless bodies to the bathroom to clean up, his mind hazy with post orgasmic bliss and sleep. He was content to let Jaebeom do all the work, allowing himself to be dressed and shoved into bed.

"I love you," the words tumbled out of Mark’s mouth when they were curled up in bed like a pair of parentheses.

“I know.” The cockiness still managed to shine through the exhaustion in Jaebeom’s mumble.

Mark shoved him – or tried to, and failed because he was utterly wiped. Jaebeom chuckled, and wrapped himself around Mark tightly and they both dozed off, sated and content.

****———** **

"That's a nice picture."

Mark turned off the stove and grabbed the glove, carefully tipping the saucepan over. "You say that about every picture of mine."

Jaebeom did not look up from his phone. "You're confusing me for Jackson."

Mark stifled a smirk, concentrating on pouring the last of the hot chocolate into the mugs. He dumped a generous helping of marshmallows on his own and a sprinkle of grated cinnamon in Jaebeom's. They were out of whipped cream. "I'm pretty sure I'm confusing you for you."

Jaebeom waited until they had both settled down with their unintentionally matching mugs that sported the words 'Cat Dad' and 'Dog Dad' in bold funky fonts. He waited until Mark had finished basking in the warmth brought on by consumption of the first generous sip before holding up his phone. "No, seriously, this is a really nice picture. Doesn’t beat that one… the one in that colorful jacket with the purple top and shorts… What was the magazine’s name? The Star?”

Mark flushed. “It’s like you’re obsessed with it.”

“Would be blind not to.” Jaebeom let go of his mug for a second to grab Mark’s thighs to emphasize the point.

“Well, get ready to gain a new obsession.”

The shift from playful to curious made Mark grin. “Oh?”

There was a blank space in his schedule that hadn’t been filled yet. Usually, he left the selection of offers to the agent’s discretion. But this one was a little special. She’d called Mark into the office, placed the manila folder in front of him and given it to him straight.

“Company’s big, reputable. They’ve had big names like Kwon Jiyong, CL, Rain model for them. It’s a good opportunity for you, career-wise. I know you’re no stranger to stripping but this one’s a little different.”

The samples were beautiful. The prints were glossy and thick. _Lush, luxurious_ and _sensuous_ were the words that came to mind. But that wasn’t the only thing that came to mind.

“There’s pressure from above from you to accept it. But I want you to know that you have a choice. You’ve never said yes to one before, for whatever reasons, and I respect that. But I think… now would be a good time.”

On their third anniversary as a couple, Mark had purchased a lingerie set. Jaebeom had hinted he would like to try something along that line at some point. To put it mildly, it had been… a wild success. Jaebeom hadn’t torn the delicate lace affair like a barbarian, to Mark’s disappointment, because he’d seen the damn thing online and was aware of the price tag, but they hadn’t gotten the opportunity to use it since. Rifling through their shared closet, he’d found it tucked away, behind Jaebeom’s big box of demo tapes.

The perfume box set was secure in A-yeon’s office. She knew what it was like, hiding gifts and planning surprises with a keenly observant spouse around. Jimin, her beta, was almost as bad as Jaebeom.

Mark did not have any schedule on the day of their anniversary this year, which was a relief because it would give him time to prepare the surprise without Jaebeom happening upon him. The alpha had a radio interview but that would only take up his afternoon, leaving him free for the night.

“Well?”

Jaebeom’s question brought him back to the present. Mark realized he’d left Jaebeom hanging. Clearing his throat, he took a sip of his now tepid hot chocolate, making a face. Maybe he’d keep it a surprise and wonder how long it would take Jaebeom _this time_ to realize their other anniversary was coming up, the one where they’d officially started dating.

As he brushed off Jaebeom’s prying questions, he realized some things really didn’t change after marriage.

Non-perk of being married #4: it could be like studying history all over again because sometimes no matter how hard you tried, someone always forgot a date.

****————** **

It was way past midnight.

“Lie on your back. You lie on top of him with your head on his chest. Understand?”

“Play with his hair.”

“Adjust the lighting!”

“Lean up on his chest and look into each other’s eyes.”

“The strap is coming undone. Fix it.”

“His chain’s at an odd angle, I can’t see the pendant.”

When you were a professional, lingerie shoots weren’t all that different from the regular ones. Orders got thrown about, camera flashes went off and stylists ran back and forth to fix hair, retouch makeup or adjust the clothing. An elbow always ended up in someone’s boob, or a knee in someone’s crotch.

The hustle bustle used to make him anxious at one point, but now it was background noise to him. Mark didn’t even react as Yugyeom’s cold hand snaked under the fabric to pull the pendant out, too preoccupied with other matters.

The sensual mood music, dim lighting of the resplendent set and the warm, firm body beneath him was making him sleepy. He tried to suppress the yawn but failed, making Taehyung laugh as the flash of his camera went off.

“Sorry,” Mark apologized to the photographer after he finished yawning. Momo, who was draped over him, yawned in response. That in turn set off Yugyeom, who they were both lying on top of. Soon, the whole room was yawning, finishing off with Jinyoung.

Turned out that the hickey giver had actually not been Suzy but the tall pretty omega he was lying on top of. Mark had only needed to look at Jinyoung and Yugyeom to put two and two together, honestly surprised that he hadn’t done it sooner. Had A-yeon not confiscated his phone, he would have texted Jaebeom about this little development and they both would have gossiped like old biddies.

“Just a few more shots guys, hang in there,” Bambam called out. He held up the reference sketch; the hastily drawn lines depicting a figure lying against the headboard with two figures draped over the first one’s chest. They all moved into position, weary from the late hour, all of them wanting to do their best but also wanting to get it over with already.

Yugyeom accidentally elbowed him in the kidney. The boy’s chest had the right amount of padding and Mark resisted the urge to rub his face against it. Someone would kill him if he got foundation over the expensive silk. More instructions were shouted out and their limbs adjusted.

“Try holding hands over his stomach,”

Photoshoots like the one they were doing right now, could be difficult and tended to run overtime if the models weren’t comfortable with each other. But Mark knew Yugyeom and Momo so touching each other while assuming intimate positions felt natural and easy. Mark was so tired he was afraid he’d fall asleep mid-straddle.

The solo shots had been sent yesterday for approval, leaving only the group shots which the creative director was being vaguely frustrating about. The end timing on the call sheet had been 9 PM, but the constant dithering was beginning to grate on their nerves. Mark had a quick temper and he almost never lost it in public, but he was reaching the limits of his patience.

It had been supposed to be perfect. He’d planned their anniversary properly. Cake, takeout from Jaebeom’s favorite place (a chef Mark was not), that cat tower Jaebeom had been thinking about putting in the sunroom… Days of hard work and planning, and it had all gotten derailed due to a finicky creative director unable to decide whether or not the positions were ‘too raunchy’ and did not send the right message.

Jaebeom had been texting him steadily, blissfully unaware of the turmoil going on in Mark’s head. After the third time A-yeon caught him, she’d taken his phone. Judging from the late hour, it would be safe to assume that Jaebeom might have fallen asleep.

When the photographer and director finally gave it up, the darkness had turned into light. Mark squinted at the dawn and tried not to cry. It was ruined. The surprise. He could still make it, maybe replace the takeout with breakfast or something but he was exhausted and his brain was refusing to work.

Jinyoung drove him home in silence. Yugyeom had passed out the second he’d crawled into the backseat. Perhaps Jinyoung sensed that Mark wasn’t in the mood to talk. Briefly, he stopped at a nearby McDonalds to get breakfast, shoving two greasy bags at Mark despite his refusal to eat anything.

“Shut up. Yugyeom was told not to eat so I’m pretty sure you didn’t either. Finish that before you pass out.”

Mark’s stomach roiled at the smell of baked greasy goods, but he was touched by the gesture. “Thanks.”

It was quiet when he got in. The beeping of the passcode echoed in the hallway. He tiredly dumped the breakfast and the bag which held his belongings (plus the boxed set and lingerie he’d ordered days prior, still in its packaging) on the table. With heavy limbs, he trudged into the living room and threw himself on the sofa.

Only to fall down with a scream as it leapt back at him. The push caught him off guard and he banged his arm against the coffee table. There was cursing and rustling and the living room lamps — the twin ones with the fucked up wiring that turned on even when you were trying to use one — came on, illuminating the entire room.

“Hyung,” groaned Jaebeom, squinting as his eyes adjusted, one hand massaging his stomach. “Ow, what the fuck — you’re home.”

Mark wasn’t listening, too busy taking in the letter balloons spelling out _Happy Anniversary_ , the petals scattered over the living room, the little cake in the middle of the coffee table covered by a transparent cloche, the unopened bottle of wine, the wrapped gift…

“Jaebeom, what — ”

Jaebeom lowered himself next to Mark, knuckling his eye. “Are you going to cry? Because if you are —”

On cue, Mark burst into tears.

“Aigoo…” sighed Jaebeom, pulling Mark into his lap like he wasn’t a grown man over thirty. Gently thumped Mark’s back as he sobbed, letting him cry his frustration and exhaustion out. Kissed his hair and cradled the back of his head, offering the omega the comfort and reassurance that he so desperately needed after such a long day.

“You know,” said Jaebeom once Mark had calmed down. “I didn’t think you’d be this moved by me finally remembering our anniversary. I know I’m bad but I didn’t know I was that bad.”

A wet laugh choked out of him, unbidden. “I’m not upset, Jaebeom-ah.”

His eyes hurt, his voice came out watery and there was soreness in his chest. “I’m just angry at how things turned out. I just wanted to do something nice but the shoot — there was a cake and the lingerie and — ” He expelled a long breath, and knuckled his eyes, too tired to go on.

Here was the thing about being married to someone: even if you got comfortable with each to the point where you didn’t have to try hard to make grand gestures to show them you still loved them, you still wanted to. When you mastered each other’s love language, it got easier. You understood that even the best laid plans got fucked up and that was okay. Because at the end of the day, it didn’t change the fact that you still loved each other and would continue to do so.

The alpha shushed him, gently pulling his fists away as he carefully patted down his face with tissue. Mark sniffed. Jaebeom smiled at him, tenderly caressing the hair on Mark’s forehead.

“It’s okay. You’re okay. We’re okay. Okay?”

Non-perk of being married #5 which was actually a perk: Sometimes, your significant other knew you _too well_ and that didn’t always have to be a bad thing.

“Okay.”

———

**Author's Note:**

> A shoutout to the fest organizers for making this happen. Participating in this fest was a memorable experience. The mods were absolutely lovely, leading us with a firm yet gentle hand. It gave me a chance to try something outside my comfort zone and we shall all be blessed with an abundance of lovely markbeom content as a result. <3
> 
> The olfactory boxed scent is actually a thing. There are companies who are willing to recreate a scent of a loved one - either deceased or far away - for a cost. You can look up Kalain. 
> 
> I am aware of the rl timeline of the releases of Verse Two and HIP but for the sake of this fic, I tweaked it a little bit. Also, I did as much research as possible (given the timeframe) to make sure I had my facts straight regarding the modeling and everything but if there’s any mistakes or inaccuracies, please do overlook them.
> 
> Please leave a kudos or comment on your way out ~


End file.
